Euro 2028 hosts won’t get automatic spots | OneFootball

UEFA has confirmed that host nations England, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland won’t get automatic qualification for Euro 2028.

Traditionally, host countries have had a guaranteed place at the tournament. But with four nations sharing hosting duties this time, UEFA has scrapped that rule and gone for a different approach.

Instead, qualification will work as follows: 20 teams will go through as usual - 12 by topping their groups and eight more as the best runners-up. That leaves four spots to fill.

Two of those could be used by host nations if any of them fail to qualify through the normal route. Basically, if England or one of the others slip up in qualifying, the highest-ranked ones among them might still get in.

The last two places will be decided by play-offs - and how those work depends on how many host nations need rescuing. If two hosts need a lifeline, there’ll be eight teams battling it out across two one-legged semi-finals and finals. If just one host needs help, then 12 teams will be split across three paths. If none of the hosts need the extra spots, eight other teams will fight for them in home-and-away ties.

The full tournament schedule is expected later in the year, likely around autumn.

England, having fallen short in the last two finals, have actually asked to go through the qualifiers anyway, saying it’ll help them stay sharp ahead of the tournament.

Scotland are heading to their second Euros in a row this summer, while Wales featured in 2016 and 2020, and Ireland in 2012 and 2016.

As for Northern Ireland, they were part of the original hosting bid, but will no longer stage any matches after Belfast’s Casement Park was dropped as a venue.